Building construction



Nov. 19, 1968 R. c. BROWN 3,411,339

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. '7, 1965 INVENTOR.ROBERT C. BROWN sww AHOWIEVS Nov. 19, 1968 R. c. BROWN 3,411,339

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 7, 1965 r 4 Sheets-Sheet "llllml.

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 15

INVENTOR Rossm C. BROWN Alfarrgs United States Patent 3,411,339 BUILDINGCONSTRUCTION Robert C. Brown, 5846 Haverford St., Indianapolis, Ind.46220 Filed Dec. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,110 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-326) Thepresent invention relates to a method of assembling decking, to thedecking assembly itself and to a tool usable in the method of assemblingdecking.

One of the problems of the construction field is that of securingflooring or decking to supporting structure in the form of subpurlins orthe like. One frequently used practice is to drive nails into corrugateddecking, the nails being bent as they are driven home to theconformation of the corrugations. This manner of securing the decking inplace has been found to have many disadvantages such as, for example,the relatively insecure attachment of the parts resulting from the smallhold down surface of such a nail.

Primary objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedprocess of assembling decking and to provide an improved deckingassembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decking assembly and aprocess of construction or assembling said decking assembly which isfast and labor saving yet which assures that the decking is firmlyattached to the supporting members such as the subpurlins.

A further object of the invention is to provide a decking assembly and aprocess of constructing or assembling said .lecking assembly to providea stronger more rigid assembly which will readily withstand thestresses, pressures and strains to which construction materials areconstantly subjected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a decking assemblyand a process of constructing or assembling the decking assembly in sucha manner that a greater hold down surface is provided.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toolparticularly useful in the carrying out of the process of the presentinvention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool capable ofrapidly and accurately cutting a flange to form a plurality of tabscapable of being bent to secure decking in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool capable of rapidlyand accurately cutting a flange to form a plurality of tabs and ofbending those tabs to secure decking in place.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partially in section of a decking assemblyembodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a tool usable in practicing the process ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 in thedirection of the arrows, showing the details of the jaw construction ofthe tool of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 8e8 of FIG. 5 in the directionof the arrows.

3,411,339 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 ofan alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a tool embodying the present inventionand usable in practicing the process of the invention to produce thestructure of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 1111 ofFIG. 10 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 12 is a vertical section taken along the line 1212 of FIG. 10 inthe direction of the arrows.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary enlarged view similar to FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a representative one of a pair of dies:forming a part of the structure of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of a tool forming an alternative embodimentof the invention.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated adecking assembly which includes the structural channel members 10arranged in horizontal spaced parallel relationship. Resting upon thehorizontal channels 10 and welded thereto is a plurality of spacedparallel subpurlins 11 (only one shown). Depending upon the extent orarea of the decking assembly, the pattern thereof is repeated as issuggested in FIG. 1 by the additional subpurlins 11' aligned with thesubpurlin 11 and secured to the channels 10'.

Each of the subpurlins 11 has a specific cross sectional configurationwhich is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. At the time of welding ofthe subpurlin to the channel, the subpurlin has an upright flange 12which extends the length of the subpurlin 11 and is located centrallythereof. As is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4; the subpurlin has agenerally rectangular cross sectional configuration which includes afirst top portion 15 from which the flange 12 extends. Integral with thetop portion 15 is vertical side portion 16 from which extends horizontalbottom portion 17. From the bottom portion 17 extends vertical sideportion 20 which is integral with horizontal top portion 21.

After the subpurlins 11 have been Welded to the channels 10 in spacedparallel relationship with one another, corrugated decking 25 and 26 issupported upon the subpurlins 11. The particular decking used can be,for example, 24 gauge to 28 gauge steel and can be any length desired.Each subpurlin 11 supports one section 25 of corrugated decking on oneside of its top portion, that is on the side 15, in abutting relationwith the flange 12 and supports another section 26 of decking on theother side of the top portion, that is on the top portion 21, inabutting relation with the flange 12. Each section of decking, that is25 or 26, is supported by two subpurlins, respectively, one on each sideof the section of decking.

It will be noted that each section of decking includes first spaced flatportions 27 which engage the top of the subpurlin and further spacedflat portions 30 which are parallel to the first flat portions 27 andare spaced from the subpurlin top. The decking sections 25 and 26 aresecured in place by tabs 35 and 36 which are cut from the flange 12 bymeans of a tool illustrated in FIGS. 5-8.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, a tool 40 is illustrated which includes a pairof generally parallel bars 41 and 42. The bar 41 is generally straightwhile the bar 42 has a step or a right angle portion 45 therein to whichis secured a looped member which forms a foot lever 46. At the lowerends of the bars 41 and 42, there are fixed jaw-carrying elements 47 and50. The elements 47 and 50 are identical and interchangeable and can beused on either of the bars 41 and 42.

Referring to FIG. 6, jaws 51 and 52 are fixedly and removably mounted bymeans of screws 55 to the jawcarrying elements 47 and 50. The jaw 51 hasthree parallel cutter blades 56 which cooperate with the anvil jaw 52 tocut the tabs from the flange 12 as shown in the upper left-hand portionof FIG. 1. The anvil jaw 52 has three surfaces 57, 58 and 59 which areflat and which cooperate with the cutter blades 56 in the cuttingaction. Of course, the flat surfaces 57 and 58 are coextensive oraligned.

The bar 41 is pivotally mounted upon the bar 42 by means of mountingmembers 65 each of which are fixed to the bar 41 and are swingablerelative to the bar 42 about a pin 66. It can be appreciated that thetool of the present invention may be easily used in the method of thepresent invention by securely positioning the jaw 52 down upon one ofthe fiat portions 27 of the corrugated section of decking with the jawfacing toward the flange 12 and in abutment therewith. The users foot isthen placed upon foot lever 46 and the weight of the user is exerted onthe foot lever. The user steadies himself by grasping the hand grip 66on the bar 42 and then forces the jaw 51 against the jaw 52 by pushingthe hand grip 67 away from the hand grip 66.

The result of this operation is three vertical cuts 70, 71 and 72 whichform the tabs 35 and 36. The next step in the process is the bending ofone of the tabs 35 down over against the flat portion 27 of one sectionof decking and the bending of the other tab 36 in an opposite directiondown, over and against the other section of decking 26. This cutting andbending operation is repeated along the length of the flange at eachpoint adjacent flat portion 27 producing the final decking assemblyshown in FIGS. 14.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 9-14, there is illustrated analternative decking assembly and the tool for forming that deckingassembly. The decking assembly of FIG. 9 is identical to the deckingassembly of FIGS. 1-5 except for the fact that the upright flange 100which corresponds to the flange 12 projects a substantially greaterdistance away from the subpurlin 101 than does the flange 12 from thesubpurlin 11. This greater projection, which in the embodiment of FIG. 9is approximately equal to the spacing of the flat portions 102 from thesubpurlin, is provided so as to give suflicient material to punch outthe tabs 105 from the flange 100 without the tabs 105 taking all of thematerial of the flange 100 entirely out to the distal edge 106 thereof.In other respects, the structure of FIG. 9 is identical to the structureof FIG. 4.

The tool of FIGS. -14 is operable to automatically cut and bend the tabs105 into the proper position as illustrated in FIG. 9. In other words,it is not necessary to bend the tabs 105 manually or by other meansafter the tool of FIGS. 1014 has been used and instead the toolautomatically performs this function. The tool 200 comprises a base 201which includes a post 202 extending vertically upwardly. Fixed to thebase 201 is a platform 205 which has outwardly projecting portions 206adapted to pivotally mount levers 207. The base 201 has a slot 210therein which is adapted to receive the flange 100 of the subpurlin 101.

A pair of shear punches or blades 211 are reciprocally mounted upon thebase 201. This reciprocal mounting is accomplished by means of pins 212which extend through slots 215 in the respective shear blades or punches211. The shear blades or punches 211 travel within downwardly openingV-shaped indentations 220. The punching or shearing action isaccomplished by moving the shear or punch blades 211 through the slot210 from opposite sides thereof to cut the tabs 105 and to lay them outon top of the sections 110 of corrugated decking.

The punches or shear blades 211 are moved inwardly and outwardly bymeans of the levers 207 which are pivotally connected at their lowerends to the punches. A weight 225 has a central opening therethrough bymeans of which the weight is reciprocally mounted upon the post 202. Theweight is connected to the levers 207 by means of links 226 which arepivotally connected at their upper end to the weight and at their lowerend to the respective levers 207. A collar 227 is slidably received uponthe post 202 and is normally maintained in engagement With the Weight225. A compression spring 230 also surrounds the post 202 and normallyacts to maintain the weight 225 in an upward position and the punches211 in an outward position removed from the slot 210. The spring 230acts between the annular member 227 and the platform 205.

Handles 229 are fixed by suitable rigid linkage members 231 to theweight 225. Fixed to the upper end of the post 202 is a limit member 232which functions to prevent movement of the weight 225 upwardly on thepost 202 past the limit 232.

In operation, the user merely rests the tool 200 on the corrugateddecking 110 on both sides of the subpurlin with the flange extendingupwardly into the slot 210. The user then places his weight downwardlyupon the handles 229, said weight adding to the weight of the weightmember 225 whereby the force of the spring 230 is overcome and thepunches 211 move inwardly past one another to form the tabs and to bendthem down to the position of FIG. 9. When the handles are raised, thespring 230 functions to pull the punches 211 out of the flange 100.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 15, there are situations inwhich it is desired that only a single tab, such as the tabs 105, beformed and bent down. For example, when the worker has reached the endof the decking assembly and there is no further corrugated decking to besecured in place, then tabs 105 projecting in only one direction areneeded to hold the decking in place. Also there are some situations inwhich the tool of FIG. 10 cannot be used because other structure of thebuilding construction is in the way. In such situations the tool of FIG.15 can be used.

The tool of FIG. 15 includes a base 300 which has a slot 301corresponding to the slot 210 of FIG. 10. A punch or shear blade 302 isreciprocally mounted upon the base 300 by means of a pin 305 whichextends through a slot 306 in the punch 302. The punch 302 is movablewithin a downwardly opening V-shaped slot 307 which extends through andintersects with the slot 301. The punch or shear blade 302 is moved inand out by means of a lever 310 which is connected to the punch 302 bymeans of links 311 and 312, the link 3112 being pivotally connected atone end to the punch 302 and at the other end to the link 311 while thelink 311 is pivotally connected at one end to the lever 310. It can beseen that downward movement of the lever 310 will move the punch 302leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 15 and that upward movement of the lever310 will move the punch 302 rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 15. In orderto operate the tool of FIG. 15, the user grips the handles 315 and pullsthem apart or pushes them together.

It can be appreciated from the above description that the presentinvention provides an improved process of assembling decking and animproved decking assembly. It can also be appreciated that the presentinvention provides a decking assembly which is sufliciently strong anddurable to withstand the stresses, pressures and strains to whichconstruction materials are constantly subjected. Even so, the process ofassembling the decking assembly is relatively fast and labor-saving. Itcan also be appreciated that the present invention provides an improvedtool which is particularly useful in the above process and in cuttingand bending a flange to form a plurality of tabs.

It should also be mentioned that the present invention is usable or canbe classified as explosion type decking because the decking instead ofthe walls of the building are blown away in the event that an explosionoccurs in the building. This is true because no welding'of the deck tothe subpurlins is accomplished.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges and modifications that come Within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool comprising a base having a slot having a pair of oppositeparallel side walls spaced from one another and sized to receive a sheetof material in close fitting relation, a shear blade reciprocablymounted on said base for movement through said slot to punch out andbend a tab from sheet material positioned in said slot, one of saidparallel opposite side walls acting as an anvil against which said bladeoperates to shear said sheet of material, said one side wall having anopening therein which defines the edge of said anvil and is formed toreceive said shear blade, and means for moving said shear blade.

2. The tool of claim 1 additionally comprising a second shear blade alsoreciprocably mounted on said base for movement in an opposite directionto said first shear blade through said slot to punch out and bend a tabfrom sheet material positioned in said slot, the other of said parallelopposite side walls acting as a second anvil against which said secondblade operates to shear said sheet of material, said other side wallhaving an opening therein which defines the edge of said second anviland is formed to receive said second shear blade, a pair of levers eachpivoted to a respective shear blade and to said base, spring meansnormally urging said levers in a direction to pull said blades out ofsaid slot, each of said shear blades having an elongated slottherethrough, and pin means extending through said blade slots and fixedto said base, said levers each being pivotal toward and away from therespective pins upon which said blades are received whereby said bladesare movable generally linearly through said base slot.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said base also includes a vertical post,a weight vertically slidable on said post, links connecting said weightto said levers whereby downward movement of said weight swings saidlevers outwardly and moves the shear blades through said base slot forpunching material, said spring being a compression spring received onsaid post and acting between said base and weight to urge said weightupwardly.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said weight has handles fixedly mountedthereon, said base slot opening downwardly, and limit means secured tosaid post and limiting upward movement of said weight.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,578,212 12/1951 Warren 72-4102,859,445 11/1958 Larrabee 72325 2,944,262 7/1960 Richman et al. 72-4092,944,503 7/1960 Wilson et al. 2921.1 3,081,537 3/196-3 Novy et a129-21.1 3,110,079 11/1963 Wilson et al. 2921.1

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

E. M. COMBS, Assistant Examiner.

1. TOOL COMPRISING A BASE HAVING A SLOT HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITE PARALLEL SIDE WALLS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND SIZED TO RECEIVE A SHEET OF MATERIAL IN CLOSE FITTING RELATION, A SHEAR BLADE RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID SLOT TO PUNCH OUT AND BEND A TAB FROM SHEET MATERIAL POSITIONED IN SAID SLOT, ONE OF SAID PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS ACTING AS AN ANVIL AGAINST WHICH SAID BLADE OPERATES TO SHEAR SAID SHEET OF MATERIAL SAID ONE SIDE WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN WHICH DEFINES THE EDGE OF SAID ANVIL AND IS FORMED TO RECEIVE SAID SHEAR BLADE, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SHEAR BLADE. 